Tipping at Buffets?

[wdwdreamer]

I wanted to get feedback on tipping for buffets? The server brings drinks, ect, but you get your own food, is there a rule of thumb for the appropriate tipping % ?:chipdale:

[2Epcot]

I haven't ate at one of those kind of buffets in a while, but it seems like we tipped the person. You still have someone serving and clearing the table. Where I will not tip is any place where they serve you over a counter and they have a tip jar sitting there.

[Zippy 1]

We always tip the standard 15 - 20% at the buffets. They do have to check on your table for drinks, clear plates while you get new ones and clear the table when finished. So we feel they deserve it.

[Duchess99]

We always tip the standard 15 - 20% at the buffets. They do have to check on your table for drinks, clear plates while you get new ones and clear the table when finished. So we feel they deserve it.

We do the same.

[Seasonscraps]

I still tip 15-20% it depends how the rounding goes. My table is still being serviced - clearing plates, drinks, refills, etc. It's still works out to be less in dollars then a sit down restaurant since the price of the meal is lower for what is included. A sit down meal with as many options would cost a lot more then a buffet meal.

[Kathy Jetson]

I always tip 20% they bring and refill my drinks clear away plates that have our leftover food on them and keep coming by to check on us. I would not do 20% if they were giving me poor service but something.

[TheRustyScupper]

1) The accepted standard for buffets is 5%-10% for GOOD service.
2) All they do is remove plates and refill drinks.
3) If you want to over tip, go ahead and use the above mentioned percentages.
4) After all, one complaint against Americans is that they over tip.

NOTE: Yes, I know that some people say the wait staff works as hard as in restaurants. But, under that thought, you would tip CM's who work rides or direct parking lot traffic. They all work hard.

[marlaine]

I worked in restaurants for over 25 years. I will tell you that the waitstaff work very hard in buffets and table service. 20% for table service and 15% for buffets are the norm. I do understand how some people tip according to service recieved, but the waitstaff depend on their tips. Some places that I worked automatically put in the percentage at the end of every shift, and the waiter has to pay taxes at the end of the year on that amount. If your bill is $100.00 at a buffet and the estimated tip is $15.00, that's what they're responsible for. If you only tip them $5.00, they lose out. If you tip them more, they're ahead. Just like any profession, there are good servers and bad. Their hourly wage is usually pretty low and not many have an option for health insurance. Sometimes, if it is a busy day (what day is not busy for them?) an 8 hour shift feels like they have run a marathon.

[svarhall07]

buffet servers are paid the same as a standard restaurant, $3.77/hour in Florida. Therefore, if you are going to somewhere like Boma, sitting for an hour, and only leaving 5% you are ruining your servers night. These people depend on tips because they are only getting paid $3.77/hour!! They may not be taking a meal order and bringing you food, but they are taking drink orders, refilling drinks, and collecting many (not just one) dirty plates per person from your table. There is a reason the suggested tip amount at both traditional and buffet restaurants is 18 or 20%.

so, I always leave 20% not matter the service, because I understand that it is a profession where they DEPEND on tips.

[DizneyRox]

Disney requires 18% for buffets according to the DDE rules. I would expect there's no real difference for those not on the plan, so it sems to reason that 18% is an expected tip at WDW regardless of if it's normal table service of a buffet.

[TheRustyScupper]

Disney requires 18% for buffets according to the DDE rules.


I worked in restaurants for over 25 years. I will tell you that the waitstaff work very hard in buffets and table service. 20% for table service and 15% for buffets are the norm.


1) I realize tipping can get heated.
2) But, several points need to be covered.
. . . the 18% tip suggestion at Disney is union negotiated
. . . working hard is not a tip justification
. . . other low paid workers at WDW work hard and don't get tips
3) As for 10% tipping
. . . recommended by Emily Post (10%-15%)
. . . recommended by Good Housekeeping (10%)
. . . recommended by Tipping.Org (5%-10%)
. . . recommended by several multi-national corporations (10%) *
. . . referenced by some other web sites ($1 per person)
4) Please tip what you want.
5) But, without documentation, a standard is just personal opinion.

NOTE1: I have worked for multi-national companies and traveled in Europe and Asia. The corporate guides actually said what was the standard for that country or that part of the world. In fact, tips over the printed allowances were not reimbursed.

NOTE2: Unknown to most guests, a guaranteed 6% service charge tip has been added to all DDP meals. This goes to 8% on 1/1/2010. Again, this is per union negoatiations.

[wdwdreamer]

Thanks for the feedback, I have always tipped like I have at other table service, but I wanted some feedback since I wasn't sure if I was doing the right thing. Appreciate everyones advice!!

[TheMartellFamily]

We tip no matter at a buffet or sit down restaurants usually the same. We usually give 12% to 20%. We had exceptional serivce at Buffets while other times ok at TS meals. We tip what they deserve.

[brownie]

We've always gone 10-15% at the buffets instead of our normal 15-20%.